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"The first installment in Helene Tursten's brand new series featuring the strong, smart Detective Inspector Embla Nystrom. From a young age, 28-year-old Embla Nystrom has been plagued by chronic nightmares and racing thoughts. Though she still develops unhealthy fixations and makes rash decisions from time to time, she has learned to channel most of her anxious energy into her position as Detective Inspector in the mobile unit in Gothenburg, Sweden, and into sports. A talented hunter and prize-winning Nordic welterweight, she is glad to be taking a vacation from her high-stress job to attend the annual moose hunt with her family and friends. But when Embla arrives at her uncle's cabin in rural Dalsland, she sees an unfamiliar face has joined the group: Peter, an enigmatic young divorce. And she isn't the only one to take notice. One longtime member of the hunt doesn't welcome the presence of an outsider and is quick to point out that with Peter, the group's number reaches thirteen, a bad omen for the week. Sure enough, a string of unsettling incidents follow, culminating in the disappearance of two men from a neighboring group of hunters. Embla takes charge of the search, and they soon find one of the missing men floating facedown in the nearby lake, his arm tightly wedged between two rocks. Just what she needs on her vacation. With the help of local reinforcements, Embla delves into the dark pasts of her fellow hunters in search of a killer"--… (more)
Description
But when Embla arrives at her uncle’s cabin in rural Dalsland, she sees an unfamiliar face has joined the group: Peter, an enigmatic young divorcé. And she isn’t the only one to take notice. One longtime member of the hunt doesn’t welcome the presence of an outsider and is quick to point out that with Peter, the group’s number reaches thirteen, a bad omen for the week.
Sure enough, a string of unsettling incidents follow, culminating in the disappearance of two men from a neighboring group of hunters. Embla takes charge of the search, and they soon find one of the missing men floating facedown in the nearby lake, his arm tightly wedged between two rocks. Just what she needs on her vacation. With the help of local reinforcements, Embla delves into the dark pasts of her fellow hunters in search of a killer.
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I was sad to see the author end her Irene Huss series, but at the same time, I looked forward to seeing something new. Fellow Irene Huss fans, never fear. I think you're going to like Embla. Huss was a prizewinning kickboxer; Nyström is a prizewinning boxer. Yes, both women certainly know how to take care of themselves. I was a bit anxious to see how tormented Nyström was by her nightmares-- sometimes I tire of psychologically damaged main characters and enjoy reading about someone who could be considered normal. Thankfully, Nyström isn't all that far off from normal.
Hunting Game tells us a bit about Embla's backstory and the cause of her nightmares, and I think that's going to add some interesting angles to future books in the series. I was a bit disappointed that I wasn't made to work very hard to deduce the identity of the killer, but that was just the mood I was in. This book is more of a whydunit than a whodunit, and the why certainly keeps the pages turning.
I may have been forced to say good-bye to Irene Huss, but I am looking forward to more encounters with Embla Nyström, and I think you will, too.
This story centers on Embla Nystöm, an investigator, as she slowly uncovers the clues to a developing crime spree that is happening near her hometown in rural Sweden. Tursten's pacing is deliberate and steady, her description of
While fans of Jack Reacher and other high-octane protagonists may bristle under the far more measured tone of this novel, I think that overall Tursten's method works. As the story develops, it feels a bit like the clues are breadcrumbs in an vaguely ominous forest leading to a somewhat foreboding destination. Each clue maintains the tension just enough to keep the plot moving forward and Tursten's skillful use of setting provides folksy interludes. The epilogue provides a nice finishing touch, as well.
3.5 stars for a quick, enjoyable, unpretentious read!
#GoodreadsGiveaway
Embla Nyström is a tough lady. She has suffered from nightmares for years, linked to the disappearance of her best friend Lollo when
The two missing men were once a group of 3, who nicknamed themselves "the three musketeers". Then 12 months ago one of them drove his car at high speed into a tree on his way home from that year's annual moose hunt. It is Embla who discovers the link between these three men to the disappearance of Peter's sister.
An interesting but demanding read.
The author reveals in her final words that Embla has already made an appearance in one of the Inspector Huss novels, but now, she says, it is time for Embla "to stand on her own two feet."